Azure Log Analytics Workspace with Linux Machine

I have a Linux machine with plenty of application logs that I want to feed to Log Analytics Workspace. These logs are custom logs, so I am thinking of using the Custom text file option in the data collection rule. What is the simplest approach to do this?

Do I need to install the Azure Monitor Agent in this machine? Or should I enroll this machine with Azure Arc? Or perhaps it's the same thing. I am a newbie in Azure.

Azure Log Analytics Workspace with Linux Machine Do I need to install the Azure Monitor Agent in this machine? Or should I enroll this machine with Azure Arc?

You can install the Azure Monitor Agent to send application logs to the Log Analytics Workspace and follow the steps to use the custom text file option in the Data Collection Rule (DCR). Without the Azure Monitor Agent, you could only collect data from the host machine since you wouldn't have access to the applications inside the VM and running processes. If you are working with on-premises machines, you need to install the Connected Machine Agent. Follow the MS Doc to onboard your hybrid machines with Azure.

To enable Custom text file option in data collection rule, follow the below steps.

1. Create a Data Collection Endpoint by navigating to Monitor > Data Collection Endpoints in the same region where your VMs and Log Analytics Workspace are created.

2. Create a data collection rule with existing data collection endpoint.

Select the data collection endpoint created earlier at resource section.

Follow the Collecting custom text logs with Azure Monitor Agent for more details.

Refer: Install and manage Azure Monitor Agent